Posts Tagged ‘sales mistake’

Have you ever heard or made a similar statement “everyone wants” fill in the blank? This statement is repeated in many sales presentations or just general sales conversations. However using this statement may create you a sales mistake.

When blanket statement such as “everyone wants” or “everyone knows” are used, there often is a negative, emotional subconscious if not conscious reaction such as:

No, I don’t want

No, I am not like everyone else

No, I don’t know

With every sales lead or prospect, there is an opportunity in making a sales mistake because each of those new sales leads are unique individuals with unique experiences. In sales, one size does not fit all.

Recently I had a conversation with someone who took offense during a meeting when another person said “everyone wants quality.” This individual emotionally felt insulted because he did not want what the other person stated.

During our brief conversation, I restated what I had heard and asked him “If for the same dollars, your desire for safety excellence could be maintained while improving overall quality would you be agreeable?” His response was “Yes.”

This sales mistake often happens during times of contention. The person selling an idea, a solution attempts to secure agreement with “everyone wants.” Unfortunately with people’s emotional receptors already subconsciously turned to the negative dial, this attempt at agreement fails miserably.

Possibly the reason for this sales mistake is much of the sales training truly looks to “asking proven questions” or “demonstrating proven sales techniques.” Securing agreement is one of those proven sales techniques. In years gone by, this was called “mini-closes.” The caveat to the success of this sales technique resides in how the technique is employed.

Words do matter and many a sale mistake has been the direct result of selecting the wrong words. This is why speaking less is far better than speaking more.

P.S. If you wish to discuss how sales coaching can increase your sales results in the next 2 months, schedule a FREE strategy coaching session by clicking here.

In the ongoing quest to increase sales, many professional salespeople continue to make this sales mistake when upselling:

They upsell before they have earned the first sale!

When working with a ideal potential customer, the goal is to earn the first sale by gaining a commitment to the solution desired by the potential customer. This is not the time to upsell or change the buying field.

Give the customer what he or she wants or expects as the first solution. If you want to upsell, then make that offer to the potential customer only after you have gained a commitment to your initial solution.

All those additional bells and whistles (offered as additional savings) usually mean nothing to the prospect unless he or she wanted them in the first place or if they connect to their value drivers. The goal is to solve their first problem.

This REALLY BIG upselling sales mistake often happens in these scenarios:

Business Consultants and Executive Coaches – The consultant or the coach sees far more than the ideal customer and overwhelms the sales prospect with his or her solution. If the fact finding has been lazy, then the business consultant or executive coach should stay with the initial request.

Insurance Non-Health – The agent wants all the insurance and provides a solution including insurance not requested by the prospect. Also, poor fact finding may be part of the reason for this upsell. One of the key questions to ask is “What are you satisfied with your current provider?”

Insurance Health – With all the changes in health care, insurance brokers rely on subject matter experts such as accountants and even lawyers to ensure the right information. Sometimes these subject matter experts decide to go beyond what the sales prospects wants. These efforts are not necessarily viewed as positive by the prospect.

Marketing Firms – With so many small business owners not having the resources to have separate marketing departments, they turn to marketing firms. Again, what happens is the desire by the firms to make all their money in the first sale. The sales prospect is overwhelmed with the solution including the price.

Sales Referral – With 97.7% of all small businesses in the US having under 20 employees, sales referrals are a proven way to increase sales. Unfortunately, some believe the sales referral is permission to upsell. Nothing could be farther from the truth. What happens is person who made the sales referral may end up having egg on his or her face because the potential customer is internally upset with the up sell sales pitch.

Up selling is a good strategy to increase sales. However this sales strategy must be applied when appropriate and when the relationship is truly solidified. To engage in up selling without a solid relationship is REALLY BIG sales mistake.

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Leanne Hoagland-Smith is THE People and Process Problem Solver. She supports forward thinking leaders in bridging the gaps between the two problems restricting strategic business growth – people and processes. Leanne can be reached at central time USA. Follow her on Twitter or check out her profile on LinkedIn.